Our expert physicians specialize in the treatment of allergy, food allergy, asthma, and sinus problems, as well as other conditions, such as hay fever, hives, eczema, contact dermatitis, insect allergies, drug reactions, anaphylaxis, and immune deficiency conditions.
As an Allergy/Immunology practice we deal with problems of the immune system. There are immunologic aspects to all parts of the human body, so other specialists will treat immune conditions within their field. We focus on your infection fighting immune system. People with immunodeficiency get the same kinds of infections that other people get—ear infections, sinusitis and pneumonia. The difference is that their infections occur more frequently, are often more severe, and have a greater risk of complications.
General guidelines for determining if a patient may be experiencing too many infections are:
The need for more than four courses of antibiotic treatment per year in children or more than two times per year in adults.
The occurrence of more than four new ear infections in one year after four years of age.
The development of pneumonia twice over any time.
The occurrence of more than three episodes of bacterial sinusitis in one year or the occurrence of chronic sinusitis.
The need for preventive antibiotics to decrease the number of infections.
Any unusually severe infection or infections caused by bacteria that do not usually cause problems in most people at the patient's age.
(Young children can have 10-12 viral infections a year and still have a normal immune system.)
For patients who don’t make adequate antibodies to protect them against infection, we can give replacement antibodies intravenously once a month in an office setting or under the skin every week or two at home.
If you feel you or a family member is suffering from an immunodeficiency, call 941-927-4888 to schedule an appointment today.
